Natural hazards · Cresco

Cresco, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cresco comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Cresco?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cresco to be higher than in 11% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding37%Tornadoes30%Strong wind10%Cold waves9%Hail6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Cresco faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 9% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

30% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Strong wind

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Cresco flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Cresco.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Cresco isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Howard County.

Disasters that hit Cresco

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Cresco itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Cresco.

Brought FEMA money into CrescoDeclared for Howard County only

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

1 household applied for aid $258 aid approved

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

95 households applied for aid $163K aid approved $6K to the City of Cresco for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$12K to the City of Cresco for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

Howard County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Cresco covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cresco’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Cresco. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Cresco total about $1.3M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.

Cresco, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Cresco?

What Cresco faces

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Strong wind

Cold waves

Hail

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Cresco flood?

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Winter Storms

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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